Automatic coupling device



July 1, 1941. T. R. LYMAN AUTOMATIC COUPLING DEVICE Filed Nov. 6, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 1, 1941.

T. R. LYMAN 2,248,005

AUTOMATIC COUPLING DEVICE ,2 heots-$heet 2 Filed Nov. 6', 1940 J9 H 1, WV y Patented July 1, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

AUTOMATIC COUPLING DEVICE Theodore Richard Lyman, Great Falls, Mont, as-

signor of sixty per cent to A. D. Rieder, Neihart,

Mont.

This invention relates to coupling devices and more particularly to a device for automatically coupling a tractor structure to a trailer structure.

This invention is an improvement over the t,

structure embodied in my Patent No. 2,124,467 which issued July 19, 1938.

An object of this invention is to provide a coupling device for coupling an implement to a tractor or for coupling a pair of tractors or other vehicles together which is automatic in its'coupling action and which may be manually locked so that the coupling device will not become uncoupled when the vehicles move over uneven ground.

Another object of this invention is to provide a coupling device of this kind wherein the coupling bolt or tongue may have swinging movement relative to the bolt holding jaws to thereby relieve the bolt from any twisting strain.

A further object of this invention is to provide a coupling device of this kind in which the manually operated locking means also constitutes a releasing means for positively opening the bolt or drawbar holding jaws in order that the bolt may be separated therefrom.

To the foregoing objects and to others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specifically referred .to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein are shown embodiments of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section partly in detail of an automatic coupling device constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the device in open position.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a plan view of one of the coupling aws.

Figure 5 is a plan View of the other of the coupling jaws.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the numerals I0 and H designate generally a pair of coupling jaws and the numeral I2 designates a drawbar member which is adapted to be connected to a tractor or other power means, the drawbar I2 being provided with a threaded forward portion I3 on which a nut I4 is threaded. The drawbar I2 is also provided with a fixed collar l5 intermediate the ends thereof and at the rear end the drawbar I2 is provided with a substantially conical head IS. The coupling jaw I0 is the lower or stationary coupling jaw and the coupling jaw I l is the upper or movable coupling jaw which is pivotally secured to the lower jaw I0 by means of a shaft or coupling pin IT.

The lower or stationary coupling jaw I0 comprises a substantially flat rear part I8, a downwardly inclined keeper wall H! which extends downwardly and forwardly from the rear body part I8 and the keeper wall I9 merges at its lower forward end with a horizontal disposed keeper wall 20. A forward keeper wall 2I extends upwardly from and has the rear face thereof inclined upwardly and rearwardly with respect to the upper surface of the lower keeper wall 26. A forwardly and downwardly inclined drawbar head guiding member22 extends forwardly and downwardly from the forward keeper wall 2| and is provided with an upper convex surface 23.

The convex surface 23 has formed integral therewith a pair of rearwardly convergent head guiding beads 24 which at their rear or inner ends terminate at the opposite ends of an intermediate keeper part 2 I which is disposed in parallel relation with the transverse axis of the jaw II]. The keeper wall 2I is also formed at the opposite ends of the intermediate part 2| with a pair of rearwardly divergent parts 2 I so that when the head I1 is engaged between the two jaws It] and II,

' the rearwardly divergent or forwardly convergent parts 2t of the keeper 2| will tend to position the head I6 centrally of the two jaws Ill and II.

The rearward inclination of the opposite end portions 2| of the keeper 2i also provides a means whereby the head I6 may slide laterally with respect to the longitudinal axes of the jaws I0 and I I and at the same time have the forward side thereof in flat contact with the confronting sides of the keeper 2!. The jaw Ill has formed integral with the rear portion thereof a substantially cylindrical bearing 25 formed with a bore 26 through which the shaft or pin l1 pivotally engages. A rearwardly extending shank or tongue 21 is formed integral with the bearing 25 and the shank 21 adjacent the rear thereof is provided with an opening 28 through which an attaching bolt or other fastening means is adapted to engage for attaching the shank 21 onto a trailer vehicle.

A bracing web 29 is carried by the lower sur- The jaw I is provided about the marginal edges thereof with side flanges 3| and with a forward flange 32. The jaw ID at a point forwardly from the bearing 25 is also provided with one part of a dog housing, the housing part being formed 1 integral with the rear fiat part l8 and comprising a lower wall 33 and side walls 34. The front wall 35 of the housing generally designated as .351

merges with the forwardly and downwardly in clined keeper wall I 9 and the rear wall 31 of the housing 36 is formed integral with and is dis- 1 posed forwardly from the bearing 25. A shank 38 of a dog generally designated as 39 is adapted to be rockably mounted in the housing chamber 40 and is secured to a dog operating shaft 4| which'is journalled in a boss 42 carried by and 3 extending downwardly from a flat rear part|8 of the jaw I0. Theshaft 4| atits outer end is v formed with an angularly disposed handle or operator 43 so that the shaft 4| may be manually rocked to either lock "the upper jaw H as will be h hereinafter described or to swing the dog 39 in order to rock the'upper jaw relative to the lower jaw H) as shown in Figure 2.

The shaft 4| is securedtothe shank as of the i dog 39 by means ofapin' or key 44 and a spring 45 is positioned loosely about-the shaft 4| in the chamber and one end of the spring bears against the adjacent side wall 34 of the housing 36 whereas the opposite end of the spring 45bears against the adjacent side of the shank 38.

The lower jaw I0 is also provided adjacent the 3 rear thereof with a boss Y46 and the boss 46 is provided with a spring receivingbore 4! in which 1 a spring 48 is adapted to engage. isalso formed with a counterbore 49 of smaller diameter than the bore 41 and a cotter pin 59 or j other fastening means is adapted to extend through the counterbore 49 and is adapted to have the looped end thereof engaged about .one

in Figure 1 and a washer 5| may be positioned about the cotter pin 50 between the bent outer 7 portions thereof and the outer end of the boss 46 as shown in Figure 1.

The jaw H is of substantially the same configuration as the jaw Ill being provided with a fiat rear'part 52 confronting the flat rear part I8 of 1 the jaw IO and keeper walls 53 and 54 extend from the forward edge of the flatwall l8 and are disposed in opposed relation to the walls J9 and 2|]. In other words, the wall -|8 is inclined upwardly Q and forwardly and the wall 54 is disposed in par- 1 allel relation'to and in confrontingrelation with respect to the horizontal wall 20.

A forward keeper wall 55 is formed integral with the wall 54 andhas a configuration similar in every detail to the keeper wall 2|. A forwardly and upwardly inclined drawbar head guiding 3 member 55 which is formed with a convex forward The boss 46 j end of the spring 48. Theifree ends of the cotter pin 59 are adapted to be bent laterallyas shown surface 5"l'extends from the keeper wall 55 and a pair of forwardly divergent beads 58 are formed integral with the convex surface 51. 7 V

The movable jaw is provided with upwardly bracing flange 60. The jaw II at the rear therei of is provided with a-pair of spaced apart axially extending side flanges 59 and with a forward aligned bearing members 6| which are provided with a bore 62' for receiving the coupling shaft IT. The webs 30 are adapted to loosely engage about the bearings 6| so that these webs 39 will form a protecting means for the bearings 6|. The bearings 6| at their inner ends are provided with a pair of protecting webs 63 of transversely arcuate configuration which loosely engage about the bearing 25 on opposite sides of the shank 2|.

The jaw II is provided at a point between the bearings 6| with a boss 64 and the boss 64 as shown in Figure 1 is provided with a bore 65 in which a portion of the spring 48 is adapted to engage. The boss is also provided with a counterbore 6B in which a cotter pin 61 engages. The looped end of the cotter pin 61 is adapted to engage about the adjacent end of the spring 48 and the outer or free ends of the cotter pin 61 are adapted to be bent over in opposed relation as at B8 and a washer 69 is loosely positioned about the cotter pin 61 and is disposed between the bent portion 68 and the outer end of the boss 64. The spring 48 is adapted toconstantly urge the movable jaw II in the direction of the stationary jaw ID.

The dog 39 is adapted to extend outwardly into an upper housing member 10 which is carried by the movable jaw H and this upper housing member H1 is adapted to confront the lower housing member 36. The upper housing member '10 is provided with opposite side walls II and 12 and a longitudinal arcuate upper wall l3. The side wall "l2 of the housing 10 has formed therein a dog receiving recess 14 which constitutes a keeper, the spring 45 being arranged to constantly urge the dog 39 in the direction of the keeper or recess 14; The side wall I2 at a point forwardly from the keeper 14 constitutes an abutment 15 against which the adjacent face of the dog 39 is adapted to engage, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 in order that the dog 39 may be held in a released position with respect to the keeper 14, being held in suohposition by the spring 43 and which will permit the free upward swinging of the upper jaw during the coupling operation. The inner arcuate surface 16 of the housing wall 13 comprises a concave cam against which the cam portion 11 of the L-shaped dog 39 is adapted to engage when the dog 39 is rocked forwardly to the position shown in Figure 2. The engagement of the cam part 71 of the dog 39 with the concave cam 16 is adapted to forcibly swing the upper jaw to an open or drawbar head releasing position.

In the use and operation of this coupling device, the drawbar I2 is adapted to be secured to a tractor vehicle and the shank 21 is adapted to be secured to a trailer vehicle. The trailer vehicle may be in the form of a second tractor, a farm implement or other device which it is adapted to pull by the tractor vehicle. The jaw i9 is positioned with the upper face thereof horizontal and initially the dog 39 is pulled laterally or to the right as viewed in Figure 3 until the dog 39 is out of engagement with. the keeper 14. The handle 43 is then rocked forwardly so as to position the dog 39 against the abutment 15 and out of registry with the keeper 14. The tractor vehicle may then be backed in the direction of the coupling device with the two jaws I9 and II in'closed position but in a position whereby the upper jaw I may be freely swung upwardly when the coupling head l6 strikes the two jaws l0 and II. V V

The tapered or reduced end of the head I6 is rearmost and will force the two jaws l and II apart, the jaw ll swinging upwardly and when the head It passes the keeper walls 2| and 55, the spring 48 will swing the upper jaw ll downwardly to a coupling position. This is the position shown in full lines in Figure 1. At this time the dog 39 may be rocked rearwardly from the dotted line position until the dog 39 is in registry with the keeper 14. The spring 45 will then shift the dog 39 laterally or to the left as viewed in Figure 3 so as to move the dog 39 into engagement with the keeper 14.

In this latter position, the two jaws l0 and H are locked together so that the drawbar head IE will not swing the coupling jaws apart during any movement of the two vehicles over rough ground which in prior devices has had the tendency to release the trailing vehicle from the tractor vehicle.

When it is desired to release the drawbar head [6 from between the coupling jaws I0 and II, the handle 43 is pulled manually to the right as viewed in Figure 3 so as to release the dog 39 from the keeper M. The handle 43 is then rocked forwardly so that the cam member 1'! thereof will slide over the concave cam member l which is carried by the upper jaw II. The dog 39 may be rocked forwardly to the limit permitted by the forward wall 35 of the lower housing 35 and at this time the upper jaw II will be in the released position shown in Figure 2. In this released position the two draw bar head keepers 2| and 55 will be spaced apart sufiiciently to permit the free removal of the drawbar head I6.

A coupling device constructed according to this invention may be subjected to extremely hard and rough usage and will securely hold the trailer vehicle to the tractor vehicle until the locking dog 39 has been moved to a released position.

What I claim is:

1. In a coupling device including a pair of pivoted coupling jaws, a combined jaw locking and opening dog, means pivotally mounting said dog in one of said jaws, a keeper carried by the other jaw engageable with said dog in one position of the latter for locking the jaws together, correlated means carried by said one jaw and said dog for holding said jaws in open position when said dog is in another position, and a manual operator connected with said dog.

2. In a coupling device including a pair of pivoted coupling jaws, a combined jaw locking and opening dog, means pivotally mounting said dog in one of said jaws, a keeper carried by the other jaw engageable with said dog in one position of the latter for locking the jaws together, correlated means carried by said one jaw and said dog for holding said jaws in open position when said dog is in another position, a manual operater connected with said dog, and means constantly urging said dog in the direction of said keeper.

3. In a coupling device including a pair of spring-pressed pivoted coupling jaws; a combined jaw locking and opening dog, a dog operator shaft pivotally mounted in one jaw and fixed to said dog, a keeper carried by the other jaw and engageable with said dog in one position of the latter for locking said jaws together, means constantly urging said dog in the direction of said keeper, an abutment carried by said other jaw forwardly of said keeper and engageable with said dog in another position for holding said dog in a jaw releasing position, and correlated means carried by said dog and said other jaw for positively swinging one of said jaws to an open released position.

4. In a coupling device including a pair of spring-pressed pivoted coupling jaws; a combined jaw locking and opening dog, a dog operator shaft pivotally mounted in one jaw and fixed to said dog, a keeper carried by the other jaw and engageable with said dog in one position of the latter for locking said jaws together, means constantly urging said dog in the direction of said keeper, an abutment carried by said other jaw forwardly of said keeper and engageable with said dog in another position for holding said dog in a jaw releasing position, correlated means carried by said dog and said other jaw for positively swinging one of said jaws to an open released position, said correlated means comprising a concave cam face fixed relative to said other jaw, and a convex cam face carried by said dog.

THEODORE RICHARD LYMAN. 

